notts_latic Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I don’t post very often, but spend quite a lot of time reading. Some of the utter drivel I have seen spouted on here over the last few hours has made me feel compelled to post my views (for what they are worth!). Oldham Athletic are not, and never have been a "big" club. Historically, bar a few seasons flirting with the big boys, we have been a lower league team, generally happy with our lot and enjoying the occasional cup run. It seems that since the hey-days of Royle's era, most fans feel we have a divine right to be back up there, playing the Scums and Scousers week in, week out. WE DONT! We are a big town in regards to population and geography, but this doesn’t automatically mean we should be keeping up with the likes of Bolton, Burnley, and Preston etc. If you situated anyone of those clubs in the geographical position where Oldham is i.e. in the catchment area of City and Utd, would they be able to draw the crowds they do and progress the way they do? I honestly don’t think so. TTA seem to me to be doing their bloody hardest to ensure the town have a club which can be financially sustainable with a ground we can be proud of. For me, at best, latics will be a mediocre Championship side, with the odd flirtation with the play-offs as highlights. With the money that is currently being ploughed into the greedy league, it is unrealistic to think we can even compete with the higher end of the championship unless sheik toomuchmoneytogiveatoss comes in and buy's out TTA. It seems to me that most people will not be happy unless this happens though. If TTA are willing to put their own hard earned and time back into this ungrateful, backwards thinking town, I salute them. I certainly wouldn’t if I were them. And if they make a few quid out of it, good. i think they deserve to. I for one can’t question their rationale for choosing the site. For the last 6 years, they have tried endlessly to work up plans for a better stadium, which were kyboshed by various factors; the same can be said for the site of the stadium when the redevelopment went out of the window. So it’s a bit further away from the top end of Broadway. Its on the border of Oldham and Manchester. SO WHAT??? For those of you worrying about the club loosing its identity because of this, how does it differ from moving the club to Tameside? IIRC this was the preferred option for quite a lot of people a while back. The Lancaster club is in Oldham. Its transport links are as good, if not soon to be better than those at Boundary Park. Some people in Royton and Shaw will have to travel a little further. Some people in Chadderton will have to travel a little less. It’s all down to individual wants and needs. You will never make everyone happy! Our current attendances are crap. Will they realistically double in the next few years, week in week out? Can anyone realistically answer yes to that question? I can’t! TTA have draft plans for a 12000 stadium, which a lot of people see as modest. Maybe it is, but I would rather have a packed out 12000 stadium than a half empty 20000 stadium. Should the need arise to expand; I cannot see TTA being short-sighted enough to not envisage this requirement. Change happens, it’s inevitable. Embrace it, and support TTA in giving this town a club we can be even more proud of, more so than we already are! I await the usual vitriolic abuse so called happy clappers tend to receive! Rant over Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markoasis Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Take a bow that man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_tak Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I don’t post very often, but spend quite a lot of time reading. Some of the utter drivel I have seen spouted on here over the last few hours has made me feel compelled to post my views (for what they are worth!). Oldham Athletic are not, and never have been a "big" club. Historically, bar a few seasons flirting with the big boys, we have been a lower league team, generally happy with our lot and enjoying the occasional cup run. It seems that since the hey-days of Royle's era, most fans feel we have a divine right to be back up there, playing the Scums and Scousers week in, week out. WE DONT! We are a big town in regards to population and geography, but this doesn’t automatically mean we should be keeping up with the likes of Bolton, Burnley, and Preston etc. If you situated anyone of those clubs in the geographical position where Oldham is i.e. in the catchment area of City and Utd, would they be able to draw the crowds they do and progress the way they do? I honestly don’t think so. TTA seem to me to be doing their bloody hardest to ensure the town have a club which can be financially sustainable with a ground we can be proud of. For me, at best, latics will be a mediocre Championship side, with the odd flirtation with the play-offs as highlights. With the money that is currently being ploughed into the greedy league, it is unrealistic to think we can even compete with the higher end of the championship unless sheik toomuchmoneytogiveatoss comes in and buy's out TTA. It seems to me that most people will not be happy unless this happens though. If TTA are willing to put their own hard earned and time back into this ungrateful, backwards thinking town, I salute them. I certainly wouldn’t if I were them. And if they make a few quid out of it, good. i think they deserve to. I for one can’t question their rationale for choosing the site. For the last 6 years, they have tried endlessly to work up plans for a better stadium, which were kyboshed by various factors; the same can be said for the site of the stadium when the redevelopment went out of the window. So it’s a bit further away from the top end of Broadway. Its on the border of Oldham and Manchester. SO WHAT??? For those of you worrying about the club loosing its identity because of this, how does it differ from moving the club to Tameside? IIRC this was the preferred option for quite a lot of people a while back. The Lancaster club is in Oldham. Its transport links are as good, if not soon to be better than those at Boundary Park. Some people in Royton and Shaw will have to travel a little further. Some people in Chadderton will have to travel a little less. It’s all down to individual wants and needs. You will never make everyone happy! Our current attendances are crap. Will they realistically double in the next few years, week in week out? Can anyone realistically answer yes to that question? I can’t! TTA have draft plans for a 12000 stadium, which a lot of people see as modest. Maybe it is, but I would rather have a packed out 12000 stadium than a half empty 20000 stadium. Should the need arise to expand; I cannot see TTA being short-sighted enough to not envisage this requirement. Change happens, it’s inevitable. Embrace it, and support TTA in giving this town a club we can be even more proud of, more so than we already are! I await the usual vitriolic abuse so called happy clappers tend to receive! Rant over Craig Well said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senor_Coconut Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I won't sneer at a fourth division club who pay Svennis £2m a year to be their director of football, I'll piss myself laughing at them. Or dear, I shat myself laughing as well. I bet you used to laugh at Wigan. So did I, actually. I doubt they're bothered though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankly Mr Shankly Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Metropolitan Borough of Bolton - Population 262,400 Metroploitan Borough of Oldham - Population 103,544 There's a good reason. Horwich - 5.8 miles from Bolton town centre. Failsworth - 4.2 miles from Oldham town centre. NO! You've posted facts now. It'll never end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheridans_world Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I've answrere it. You did what?!!?! What is that in English?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheridans_world Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Comedy Gold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losesome Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 The simple truth is - If we stay at BP were doomed no brainer really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 We've played 300+ league games at BP since being relegated from the Premiership. How many of these games have we actually filled, or near filled capacity? As I keep having to say, for the benefit of the hard of thinking, ground capacity has never been about how often you fill your ground, but the ambition you have. Even those clubs that came unstuck showed ambition when they built stadiums with decent capacities. The there are those who did so without, so far, coming unstuck. You know-the ones who were poorer than us fifteen or so years ago but whom we will never be able to match again. The only clubs who build little grounds are those that know they have no real intention of going anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Sadly, you're not the only ones on a collision course with a souless bowl. I think however both our club and yours have decided it's the only way forward. I'm sad to say they are probably right. It'll be reet, we'll put some nice pictures up and get some of those plants from IKEA, it will feel like home in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beag_teeets Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 As I keep having to say, for the benefit of the hard of thinking, ground capacity has never been about how often you fill your ground, but the ambition you have. Even those clubs that came unstuck showed ambition when they built stadiums with decent capacities. The there are those who did so without, so far, coming unstuck. You know-the ones who were poorer than us fifteen or so years ago but whom we will never be able to match again. The only clubs who build little grounds are those that know they have no real intention of going anywhere. Give me financial security over ambition anyday of the week. Ambition gets you the sum total of sod all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Metropolitan Borough of Bolton - Population 262,400 Metroploitan Borough of Oldham - Population 103,544 There's a good reason. Horwich - 5.8 miles from Bolton town centre. Failsworth - 4.2 miles from Oldham town centre. Wrong: Oldham Metropolitan Borough has a population of around 219,000. It's the town of Oldham, without the districts that make up the borough, that has 103,000. The town of Bolton has not that many more. And I don't know where you're getting your figures from, but the last time I looked Bolton Met Borough had a population of about 243,000. Not a drastic difference. And then we have places like Blackburn and Burnley with smaller populations than Oldham but whose football clubs manage to attract big crowds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheridans_world Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 It'll be reet, we'll put some nice pictures up and get some of those plants from IKEA, it will feel like home in no time. I was looking forward to Palmer's face in the seats.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beag_teeets Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Don't forget, Bolton's cock is bigger than our cock too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie_Dugger Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Just been watching Stuart Flinders on the BBC local news. Might have been a slip of his tongue but he definately announced a new 14,000 seater stadium for Oldham Athletic. So let's wait and see................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Oldham Athletic are not, and never have been a "big" club. Historically, bar a few seasons flirting with the big boys, we have been a lower league team, generally happy with our lot and enjoying the occasional cup run. It seems that since the hey-days of Royle's era, most fans feel we have a divine right to be back up there, playing the Scums and Scousers week in, week out. WE DONT! Nobody's said anything about 'divine right', 'Craig'. Not even once. Some people have discussed why clubs that, although on their backsides fifteen years ago in comparison to Latics, have amanged to revive themselves and soar past Latics. Some of us have speculated on whether its primarily because they won the FA Cup a couple of times before the Norman invasion or whether its due to the way they handled things when the big money was coming into the game. As clubs are proving all the time, apart from the big city clubs, who will always have the advantage for obvious reasons, there is no historical pecking order in English football. It depends primarily on how competent those running the various clubs are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Take a bow that man Don't forget to tug your forelocks as you grovel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 NO! You've posted facts now. It'll never end. Are some of your really as ill-informed as you crack on to be? If you want the facts, look 'em up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsPete Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Don't forget to tug your forelocks as you grovel. A touch of bitterness Jonesy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_KTF Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 The club weren't putting up the money though. So it may have cost £80m for the build, but much of that came from private developers. The land itself was worth nowhere near as much. So TTA hoped somebody would build a hotel and give the proceeds of it to us as the fabled 24/7 income? These men are self-made millionaires right? There's hope for some of us yet... I'm not going to start something like that on here. It would open a can of worms, especially with the Corp around. If you think this is a long thread, that 1 would run to at least 50 pages. However, how much extra land is now available at BP? Cheers, Harry P.S. Mind you this 1 might do yet. Agreed, it's worthy of it's own thread but I raised my concern on a fairly dormant one and it was largely ignored. This thread is very fast moving....I can't keep up! Of all the days to be actually busy at work.... NO! You've posted facts now. It'll never end. They weren't facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIKI1234 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Learning from their mistakes and the successes of the likes of Bolton or Hull is completely out of the question, then? You were suggesting that the little ground never works, I was merley pointing out that the big ground doesnt always work either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsPete Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 So TTA hoped somebody would build a hotel and give the proceeds of it to us as the fabled 24/7 income? These men are self-made millionaires right? There's hope for some of us yet... Developers and landowners often share income from such a project. My point was that build costs and land value are not the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch_KTF Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 The only clubs who build little grounds are those that know they have no real intention of going anywhere. Look on the bright side Corp - at least when we get that £1M it could go someway towards the new ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I don't think he is going to answer. I do agree with quite a lot of what he is saying re: Ambition. I just think he is very easy to disagree with though!! Me personally...I think we should be building a 15,000 seater stadium, with the potential of upgrading to 20,000. Nothing too big there, and I think it shows a decent level of ambition for a club our size. I do think 12,000, whilst realistically it is big enough, it just seems like we are accepting where we are and accepting we belong here. As I already asked, can anybody think of a club that's significantly extended its ground capacity that isn't wildly successful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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